010: Peter Hellicar/The Generosity of Skateboarding

Pete in Lewes, May 2017. Photo: Matt

“If you’ve got a glint in your eye and the wood and wheels, then you’re in”.

I marked the tenth episode of the Looking Sideways podcast by welcoming legendary UK skateboarder Peter Hellicar to the show. Pete is a skater, company owner, designer, artist, musician, thinker and all round creative powerhouse who first came to prominence in the early 90s UK skate scene. Since then, he has gone on to have a long and varied career. He helped set up OG British skate company Unabomber, headed to the States to work as Art Director of Sole Tech, before returning home where he works today as an established and highly admired artist.

Pete and friends on a mid-90s trip to Munster. Photo: Kevin Banks

I went to see Pete in Lewes, where we had a hugely enjoyable conversation about art, music, life, creativity, the joy and openness of skateboarding, and much more besides.

Transfer 50/50, Old Street. Photo: Wig

Highlights of our conversation include:

Setting up Unabomber, and the story behind the iconic logo.

Memories of the early 90s skate scene.

Pete describing being ‘out of his depth’ as he headed to the States to work for Sole Tech.

Pete on the generosity of skateboarding, and how he’s continually fed everything he’s learned throughout his career into his next project.

It was a brilliant, wide-ranging chat with a great conversationist and somebody who has lived a fascinating, omnivorous life and career. Thanks for doing the show Pete, and huge thanks to Kevin Banks, Wig Worland and Donovan Pennant for the pics.